Coal-mining apparatus



April 23, 1929. E. c. MORGAN COAL MINING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 24 1921 amvemtoz 0' A April 23, 1929. E. c. MORGAN COAL MINING APPARATUS avwemto'c Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

EDMUND o. MoReA or NEW YORK, N. Y.; OLIVE EUGENIE MORGAN PATENT OFFICE},

EXECUTRIX or SAID EDMUND o. MORGAN, DECEASED.

" COAL-MINING APPARATUS;

Application as. octoberai, 1921. Serial No. 509,978.

7 My invention relates to an improved sys tem of'mining coal and its object is to provide means foracting on a semi-solid mass of coal at a mine wall after being severed from a mine vein, to tear apart and spread out the coal to facilitate the action of a loading machine thereon.

More particularly it is the object of the present invention to provide a plurality of.

spaced-apart haulagedevices adapted to be spreadapartin an under kerf in position to act on the coal after being severed from a mine vein by blasting or otherwise, in order that'the semisolid mass of coalmay be torn apart and'spread out to facilitate thehandling thereof for the purpose of loading into mine cars.

Another object of the invention. is the pro-;

vision of blasting means combined with hauling mechanism which can. be located below the mass of coal broken down and used to tear apart and spread out the severed mass of coal to facilitate the loading thereof.

Qtherobjects of the invention will appear r hereinafter, the novel features and co1nb1nab In the drawings; i 1 -1 ig. '1 is an elevational view of one of my improved haulage devices inserted into an under kerf at the base of amine wall prior to the severing of the coal from a mine vein;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view oflthe haulage mechanism andfthe means for operating tions bein set forth in the appended claims.

the same after the coal hasbeen severedfrom a mine vein-by a blasting operation;

'Fig. 3 is anwelevational view illustrating the tearing apart and spreading out of the coal after ithas been severed and after the haulage' nechanism has been operated;

Fig. 4 is aplan viewot the structureshown in Fig. 2; 1 g V .Fig. 5 is-a sectional elevation of a modifled haulage device with blasting mechanism ations are carried out to dislodge the coal.

combined therewith, and; V

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 5. I v o By referring to Fig. 2 of the accompanyingvdrawings it will be seen that a flat elongated plate 7 is provided with a hook vSat one end extending upwardly and aneye 9 at the otherend for attachment thereof of a rope 10.7 The rear end of the rope 10 is provided with an eye 11 for receiving a hook 12 at thefree end of the rope 13 whichis adapted to be wound on a winding drum 14. As shown in Figs. 2 and4, the winding drum 14 is mounted on a shaft 15 journaled to a wheeled truck 16 which is adapted to travel on the mine track 17. A motor 18 is connected by the gearing 19 to the shaft 15 to operate the rope drum 14. A similar rope drum 20 may be located on the opposite side of the truck 16, as shown in Fig. 4, and this rope drum 20 connected to the motor 18 for operation thereby at the same time that the rope dru1n14 is rotated. I

By referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the rear ends of the elongated haulage de- 1 vices 71, 21, 22and 23 may be provided with hooks 24, 25, 26, and 27 so that the eyes 28, 29,30 and 31 of the ropes 10, 32, 33 and 34 may be readily connected or disconnected to the haulage devices whenever desired. The rear ends of theropes 10, S2, 33 and 34-are respectively provided with eyes adapted to be connected to the hooks 12, 35, 3G and 37, the latter being connected to the free ends of the ropes 13, 38, 39 and. 40. Itwill thus be seen that the ropes 13 and 38 are wound V on thedrum14, and the ropes 39 and 40 are wound on the drum 20. The ropes 13, 38, 39 and 40 extend to the under sides of the drums 14 and. 20 so that whenthe drums are rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, pulls will be exerted simultaneously onall ot' the ropes to operate the coal spreader-s. i p Y Atter an under lreri, as shown at 41 in Fig. 1, has been cut beneathitlie mass otcoal to be dislodged, the elongated hooked haulage devices may be located in this keri? in spreadapart relation, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The blasting holes, one of wh ich is illustrated at 42 in Fi 1, and may be also arranged in spreadapart relation, one above each of the elongated haulage Spreaders. While. the latter remaln in the under ker't' the blasting oper- It often occurs in, practice that coal is discars, and intact in some cases impossible for the loading machine to handle efliciently.

YVhile' the coal is severed from the mine vein by the blastingoperatlons it tends to remain packed so tightly that it is diflicult, if not impossible,-.to remove the severed mass of coal without considerable additional labor. '1

the rope drums I have shown a roof iacklb pivotally connected at 4-6 to the top of the truck and comprising a screw-threaded rod 47 and operating wheel 48 and a root-engaging shoe 49. By mounting the roof jack in an. inclined position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and causing the 'shoe 49 to engage the roof by operating the wheel 48 anytendency of the truck to move forward during the operation of the'sprcaders Wlll be resisted by the roof jack.

I11Flg.5 I have shown a modification of the system of tearing-apart and spreading the coal by providing a horizontal ker't along the root at 50so thatthe coal when blasted may spread upwardly to a limited extent. The blasting holes 51. are located at the base of the mine wall to receive the blasting mechanism comprising a rod or tube 52 provided with an eye 9 for receiving the haulage rope 10. The rod or tube 52 has extending therethrougli a pair of insulated. wires 53, 5 l which terminate at their inner end in a charge of blasting powder 55. The blasting powder may be wrapped in a paper container 6 which is held in a pocket 57 at the end of the blasting bar'52. l 'he pocket B'Z'is provided with an annular shoulder against which rests a ring or washer 58 of resilient material, such as rubber.

Surrounding the rod 52 is a sleeve 59 which is provided with. a conical wedge 60 adapted to extend into the ring or washer 58 which acts as an abutment to confine theblasting charge 55, 56. The sleeve 59 is provided with a collar-'61 back otltlie conical wedge 60 so asto hold the split serrated ring 62 against the rubber washer 58. By referring to Fig.

6 it will be seen that the ring 62 is provided with. circular serrations 64;, and 5 shows these serrations inclined rearwardly. As shown at 63 in Fig. 6 aslot extends'longitudinally ot the i'ingG2.

The rear end of the rod 52 is screw-threaded at 65 to receive a nut 66 for operation bythe wheel 67. The nut 66 bears against therear end of the sleeve 59 so that when thewheel G7 is rotated in the proper direction the conical wedge 60 will be moved toward the shoulder 57. W lien this occurs the split ring 62 is spaced fromthe collar 61 but when the rubber ring 58 engages the'should'er 57 further forward movement of the's'plit ring 62 will be blasting charges holes. By operating the wheel 67 -01? each resisted by the ring 58. Therefore, when the wheel 67 is continued in its'rotation the conical wedge 60 will spread apart the split ring 62. forcing the serrations into the walls of the cylindrical. blast hole 51. At the same time the rubber ring 58'will'be spread radiallyby the conical" wedge 60 into contact with the cylindrical wall of the blast liole51 to form an ai r-tight joint.

lathe system shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the coal is overcut, which may be done bylmeans of an arc wall inachine,and also drilled for blast holes at the floor s'o'that blasting-maybe eil'ected upwardly and outwaii'dly. Afterthe overcut has been made and the blasting holes drilled, a plurality of blasting bars carrying may be placed intlie blast blasting bar from a position outsi'de of'the blast hole an air-tight joint at the rubber rings is'obtained and the serrated split rings firmly anchor the blasting bars to'resist' their being thrown bac"wardly. he clamping mechanism comprising a split ring 62 therefore ail'ords an ei'lective tampin g for the blasting charge. By connecting suitable blasting apparatus or producing a jump spark, to the electric it iinals and 5a the coal may be blasted down while the blasting bars remain buried under the semi solid inass of coal severed from the mine vein. "Then 1 upon operation of the rope drums I l and '20 shown in l the blasting bars may be pulled rearwardly' and the collars 61-andtheserrations on the split rings 62 relied on to tear'ap'art and spn tit out the severed coal in the manner lllUSJIiltGGl in Fig.8.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrange ment of parts without departing from the spirit and. scope of my invention as defined by the claims heretoappended and I wish theretore not to be restricted to'the-precise construction hereindisclosed.

Having thus :tully disclosed my invention and illustrated an embodiment-thereofiwhat I desire to secure by Letters'Patent-ot the United States-is:

1. A combined coal spreader and blasting bar com. T181110 blastin m'eclianism'carried by said bar,- Il'leZtllSfOl' securely clainping tlie blasting bar against the walls of a drilled.

hole in a ininewall and connectionsfor l ula mechanism to enablesaid blasting bar=to act as a spreader after theceahlias been dis- 1o dged'lfron'i amine vein.

2. In mining apparat'us,'*tl 1ecombination.

with a blasting bar having insulated electric, terminals adapted to extend to ablasting charge, of a sleeve onsaid-b'ar, a conical wedge at the forward end of said sleeve, an-ela'stic. ring on said barin position'tobe operated on by said wedge to form a tight fit in the blasting hole, a serrated split ring on said wedge,

and means for moving said sleeve relativelyto said bar to operate said Wedge to secure said serrated ring to the cylindrical Wall of the blast hole.

8. In mining apparatus, the combination with a bar adapted to be inserted into an incision in a coal vein with an explosive blasting charge carried thereby, of a sleeve on said bar, means for confining the space where the blasting charge is located, spreading mechanism, mounted on said bar adjacent'the blasting charge at the inner end portion of said bar, and connections for operating said bar to move the spreading mechanism and cause the latter to loosen the dislodged coal and spread it out to facilitate loading.

4. A combined coal spreader and blasting bar adapted to be inserted into an incision in a mine vein with an explosive carried by said bar, means for clamping the bar to the walls of the incision to confine said explosive, and connections for mechanism to operate said bar to act as a spreader after the explosive has been set off and the coal dislodged from the mine Vein. f v I 5. A coal spreader comprising an "elongated bar, a cylindrical sleeve on said bar, a collared conical wedge at the forward end of said sleeve surrounding the inner or forward 7 end portionof said bar, a split cylindrical sleeve having a serrated exterior surface and having an inner surface fitting said conical wedge, and means for moving the sleeve and the said collared wedges to spread apart the split serrated sleeve to cause the serrations to grip the cylindrical wall of a bore hole into which saidspreader is inserted.

6. A combined mineral spreading and blasting device comprising a chemicallyexplosive blasting charge and means for confin ing the same in an incision inthe mine vein, means operable from the outside of said i11- cision tor clamping said confining means. to

the walls of said incision, and connections for I operating said spreader by pulling the same away from the unmined mass to loosen the dislodged mineral and spread it out 'to-'l'acilitate loading thereof after said explosive has been set ofi.

7. In mining apparatus, the combination with an explosive blast charge and a blasting bar adapted to insertsuch charge into a blast 'hole in a mine vein, of an abutment for 010s ing the space containing the blast charge, and

means on the bar for locking the abutment in predetermined position and at the same time affording tamping in said hole for said blast charge.

8. In mining apparatus, the combination ment to confine the blast charge, and means for clamping the bar to the Walls of the blast,

hole to hold said abutment in place.

9. In mining apparatus, the combination with a blasting bar adapted to support at its forward end an explosive blast charge for insertion into a blast hole in a mine Vein, of an abutment to confine the blast charge, and means operable from the outside of said blast hole while said abiiltment is in position to confine such charge, to clamp the bar to the walls of the'blast hole and secure such abutment in its position.

10. In mining apparatus, the combination with a blasting bar having a socket at its for ward end to receive and carry an explosive blast charge for insertion into a blast hole in a. mine vein, of an abutment on said bar in position to confine said blastcharge, clamping-mechanism on said bar for securing the latter in the blast hole, and means for operating said clamping mechanism. I

11. A combined coal spreader and blasting bar comprising electric blasting mechanism carried by said bar and extending to the for ward end of said bar to a blasting charge, and connections for haulage mechanism to enable said blasting bar to act as a spreader after the coal hasbeen dislodged from the mine vein by. the electrical operation of the blasting charge. v

12. In mining apparatus, the combination with an explosive blasting charge, of an elon gated coal spreader adapted to be located in 'an incision in which said blasting charge is placed and adjacent the latter in position to spread out coal operated on by the said blast ing charge, electrical connectionscarried by said elongated coal spreader and extending to the-blasting charge to set off the latter, and means foroperating said coal spreader after said blastingcharge has been set ofl electrically.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 22nd day of October, A. D. 1921'. v H

' EDMUND C. MORGAN. 

